Dallas Cowboys need Scott Linehan to be creative on offense
The Dallas Cowboys’ Super Bowl dreams might just come true if offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is willing to get a little creative this season.
Call me the forever Dallas Cowboys optimist. I’m always betting on the Cowboys to win – with the exception of trying to win a championship with a rookie quarterback. While I wish great things for the team, I’m skeptical of any creativity by offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
It’s not a personal thing, I appreciate Linehan, but I believe he’s being restricted by Jason Garrett‘s ideas, philosophy and playbook. Because I believe that great players make plays great. That’s it.
For years, we’ve seen former quarterback Tony Romo extend plays and repeatedly make accurate throws downfield. You don’t finish a career with 248 touchdowns, 34,183 yards and a 65.3% completion rate without talent.
Romo’s arsenal of talent included future Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten, pro bowl receiver Dez Bryant and Terrell Owens. I’ll throw in receiver Cole Beasley to reduce the hate mail.
Unfortunately, a winning streak stopped Cowboy Nation from seeing #9 play with running back Ezekiel Elliott. Combine all these pro-bowl athletes with the NFL’s best offensive line and you’re going to have a top scoring offense.
Now, I’ve been thinking about the Cowboys offensive line with former guard La’el Collins moving to the right tackle position. It’s time for Linehan to stop relying on the talent of his players and create a play that’s better than the jet sweep. For inspiration, I look no further than that team in ketchup and mustard – the Washington Deadskins, uhm, Redskins.
Way back – I mean, way way way way way back – to the 1980’s, when the Redskins last had talent on their team. They had a signature running play – the dreaded Counter Trey. With Hall of Fame running back John Riggins fake right, while Hall of Fame guard Russ Grimm and their 6′ 7”, 300 pound tackle Joe Jacoby (seriously Hall of Fame voters? #respect) sprint to the left side of the offensive line to destroy opposing defenders.
How effective was it? Well, the Redskins won three Super Bowls with that play and set two Super Bowl rushing records. In Super Bowl XVII (double seriously, what number is this), they ran for 276 yards. Five years later they ran for 280 yards in Super Bowl XXII.
Imagine if the Cowboys borrowed the Redskins counter trey with Collins and Zack Martin leading the way for Elliott with future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith! Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Oh Boy! Elliott would break every single season rushing record by Week 7 – even if Weeks 5 and 6 were byes. Plus, wouldn’t you love to hear the outrage on Washington D.C. talk radio about the Cowboys using “their” counter-trey (#iHeartRadio) in route to a Lombardi Trophy (#Quest4Six).
Next: Predicting the Dallas Cowboys five toughest games of 2017
This could be amazing because we have the talent; we have the technology; we can rebuild the counter-trey and make it better, stronger, faster (#SixMillion). Unfortunately, it all relies on Scott Linehan and in him, I don’t trust – but we can dream!
#GoCowboys
#MakeTheCounterTreyGreatAgain